


What once was - a Mando short

by War_Disnei



Series: Star Wars Rebels [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Bounty Hunters, Clan Wren, Female Friendship, Gen, Growth, Ketsu's hairdo, Mandalorian, Mando girls, Star Wars rebels - Freeform, a knack for explosives, art attack, blood sisters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-22
Updated: 2017-10-22
Packaged: 2019-01-20 00:29:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12421326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/War_Disnei/pseuds/War_Disnei
Summary: Ketsu Onyo was aware that the visceral, deep sisterly bond she once shared with Sabine Wren would not last after their separation. However, one question now preoccupies her: can their friendship survive inevitable change?





	What once was - a Mando short

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Giuliona](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Giuliona).



> After having snatched Chopper from Sabine and the Ghost crew, Ketsu Onyo is on her way to retrieve a bounty. 
> 
> However, in the solitude of her ship, she starts thinking about the past and questioning her choices...

The space was cold and quiet, the whirring of a lone ship the only companion to the solitary passanger's journey.

Inside, Ketsu looked at her own reflection in the mirror.

What she saw did not impress her.

It didn't matter from what angle she looked at herself, all the mirror seemed to scream back at her was one single word: sold.

Despite all the excuses she told herself to feel better about her choices, actions spoke louder than words: the Black Sun awaited her, alongside her bounty. She had accomplished her mission, after all. The wacko orange droid was in her custody, now.

_And, best of all, the filthy traitor was annoyed as well._

She should've exulted at her success, instead she felt empty, disgusted at her own superficiality. She was ashamed of finding reassurance by self-identifying as a gritty warrior when in reality she was just a slave of her human weakness. Plus, she was in dire need of a new hairdo.

This awareness made her sigh.

There was a time when _Sabine_ used to take care of her hair patterns. She would give her a high and tight buzz-cut with a #2 guard, tapering on the sides and on the base of her skull, then draw shaved circles and other designs that reminisced her of her own homeworld (a remote planet in the Mandalorian Sector) symbolism. Once finished, she would grin while placing a long green leaf on top of her head and say: "my Onyon". Ketsu would pretend to be annoyed, while in truth, she treasured those moments. Moments when she used to be the Wren girl's only family. The older sister she'd never had.

Sabine's family sure loved their daughter as much as Manda if not more, having groomed her for a life in politics and war. Still, they hadn't directed much warmth, nor understanding, her way. Especially Tristan, as an older sibling, had chosen to oppose other than stand with his sister, for the sake of his own stiff beliefs and convenience, leading Sabine to lose faith in herself. Not that he could be blamed too much, he was young, confused and burdened himself. It had been up to Ketsu to break the cycle of self-loathing for Sabine, acting as surrogate family with hands-on attitude. The girl had a creative streak, no doubt, and Ketsu took pride in having taught her well. She'd been the one to introduce young Wren to the joys of bodily art, after all.

The girl had learned fast, embracing the liberation a new hair dye or a sprayed armor provided, yet never did she go overboard. Not a piercing, not a permanent tattoo, nothing too daring. Ketsu had always known this cautious, rational side of Sabine's to be the prevalent one. She couldn't say she didn't expect her "betrayal", after all.

Still, it had been nice while it lasted, to have a sister. Defecting the Academy and facing the aftermath hadn't been easy, especially on Sabine. Ketsu had been the one who had kept them going, who had turned their talents (explosives and Mando-style fighting techniques) into options that were viable for survival. She had been the first one to show Sabine that her artistic talents could coexist with, and even strengthen, her martial mindset, and were not something to be ashamed of. She had pandered to Sabine's rebellious outbursts and fed into her raging individuality, all the while protecting her from herself by impersonating a tough yet available figure. To achieve this, Ketsu hadn't done a great deal of talkin', actually. She'd been action-oriented and pragmatic, as it was typical of her.

Even now, with Sabine and her adolescence officially gone, she carried on day after day, brazen and competent as usual, seemingly unscathed by any form of abandonment or sheer change. PTSD could affect normal sentients, certainly not Ketsu Onyo. Sabine was in the past, and no past could own Ketsu, surely. Sabine was not a baby, she had made her choices, she would bear the consequences.

But still.

At times Ketsu wondered if this solemn, serious, black-and-white way of taking everything wasn't a bit...exaggerated in real life. In theory, it sure seemed necessary - especially as a Mandalorian - to stand clear on one's ground, at every cost. Sacrificing a friend couldn't be that much of a deal in light of a greater scheme of things.

However, turning her head to look at the stolen bin-shaped droid, Ketsu thought that maybe, it could.

Sabine had changed, that was a fact. But hadn't she changed herself? And yet, it wasn't like Ketsu hadn't forgiven herself for that, or refused to embrace a new version of the new she for...well, "honor".

Either one of two ways: choose to go on with your flawed life, with a friend, regardless of rigid beliefs or; choose to go on with your flawed life, without a friend, hypocritically, justifying resentment with a wounded ego.

Ketsu grimaced, shaking her head. Punching coordinates into her computer, she inverted her route. She had made her mind. She would return C1-10P to Sabine.

"Let's go, neurotic one" she barked at Chopper, who - being restrained - answered by showering her with a plethora of droid insults.

"Heyy! What was in that oil of yours this morning?!"


End file.
